Too many people in one place !

I love being around people. It energizes me to no end. I love people watching, interacting with new people, hanging out with people I love, anything with people.

Having a migraine constantly has changed this love to sometimes be a fear. I hadn't willingly recognized this change in myself until I went last weekend to the Seattle Shakespeare Company's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Volunteer Park (wonderful production - highly recommend - even if you have a migraine). We were gathered around the main stage area, out in the sunshine on a beautiful day right before the play started and I had this overwhelming feeling of anxiety. It was really important to me to very instantly know where I could go to get away from the stimulus of all the people, how to get out of the sun, where the car was parked, what the quickest way was to get to the car, etc. All of this anxiousness was centered around my migraine and what I would/could do to take care of myself in case a quick and severe attack hit.

Strange, new feelings. I had them again yesterday when processing through going to the Bite of Seattle this weekend - which is a wonderful event, full of thousands of Pacific Northwesterners, that we love to go to every year.

I wish I could find a recovery med that I could tolerate. If there was a little pill in my purse that I knew would help alleviate my symptoms long enough to get home to where I feel safe - that would help so much. I've heard people blog and talk about how they have a sense of comfort when they have their Maxalt or Immetrix with them. I can totally understand why they say that. It's almost like a "get out of headache free" card in your pocket anytime you need it (maybe not that good, but something like that). Must put this on the list of things to talk to my headache specialist about.

So I guess I need to realize that in living my life, even if it is temporary, I will have to adjust and accommodate this new fear of being away from my home, around groups of people and getting a migraine attack.

It is not finding gratitude that matters it is remembering to look in the first place

by Nina

In a Meadow by Melina Meza

II.33 Upon being harassed by negative thoughts, one should cultivate counteracting thoughts. —translated by Edwin Bryant

For some time now, I’ve been intrigued by Facebook posts from certain friends that simply list things the person is grateful for. I particularly like the ones by my friend Liz because her lists include very simple things, mostly free and available to almost everyone.

Today's good things:

1. Walked six miles;
2. Dog therapy on campus today, in particular the golden retriever puppy;
3. Watching the bushtits (birds) flit in and out of the trees on campus;
4. Got a lot of items off my 'to do' list at work, moving forward with several work projects and learning new things.

I also happen to know this gratitude practice is a very serious one for Liz, because she suffers from a serious, chronic illness that affects her quality of life and requires quite a bit of time spent in the hospital. She says, “It’s been bumpy, but I saw research that said gratitude practice helps. And I set intentions at the beginning of each day and have seen improvement.”

Today's good things:

1. Three mile walk at lunch, great watching the hawks circle;
2. Very productive day at work, a lot of weeding and organizing;
3. Ran into a lovely friend whom I haven't seen in a while, always great to catch up;
4. Gluten-free ice cream sandwiches

So I was very intrigued when I learned that neuroscientist Alex Korb’s book The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time actually provides a scientific explanation of why this practice works. Apparently, cultivating gratitude actually has a beneficial chemical effect on the brain, boosting levels of both dopamine (a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers) and serotonin (a neurotransmitter that affects our mood).

“The benefits of gratitude start with the dopamine system, because feeling grateful activates the brain stem region that produces dopamine. Additionally, gratitude toward others increases activity in social dopamine circuits, which makes social interactions more enjoyable …”

“One powerful effect of gratitude is that it can boost serotonin. Trying to think of things you are grateful for forces you to focus on the positive aspects of your life. This simple act increases serotonin production in the anterior cingulate cortex.” —Dr. Korb

When I was thinking about how this practice related to yoga (haha, I figured it must!), I came back to this sutra by Patanjali about cultivating the opposite (pratipaksa-bhavanam).

II.33 Upon being harassed by negative thoughts, one should cultivate counteracting thoughts. —translated by Edwin Bryant

Bryant explains in his commentary on this sutra that the “negative thoughts” being referred to are those that counter the yamas and niyamas. So thoughts that are the opposite of contentment (the niyama santosha), such as dissatisfaction, displeasure, and unhappiness, would count as negative thoughts that you should counteract. And the practice of being grateful for what you have, which is cultivating contentment, is indeed the practice of cultivating thoughts that counteract dissatisfaction, displeasure, and unhappiness.

Of course, when you are being “harassed by negative thoughts,” it often isn’t easy to find and focus on things you are grateful for. But Korb says, the effort alone provides the benefits.

“It’s not finding gratitude that matters most; it’s remembering to look in the first place. Remembering to be grateful is a form of emotional intelligence. One study found that it actually affected neuron density in both the ventromedial and lateral prefrontal cortex. These density changes suggest that as emotional intelligence increases, the neurons in these areas become more efficient. With higher emotional intelligence, it simply takes less effort to be grateful.”

Fascinating, isn’t it? Just like strengthening a muscle, a regular gratitude practice makes you stronger at being grateful over time. So that means getting better as it as you age, and eventually more time spent in a state of contentment. And those brain density changes? That sounds to me like the gratitude practice is improving brain strength—always a good thing.

And by the way, thank you Liz for agreeing to share your story with us. I'm grateful for your friendship and your honesty.

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When In Need For Hot Tubs Delaware Is The Place To Go

By Rena Hudson

When in search for the best hot tubs Delaware deserves to be prioritized on the search list. A hot tub is a small pool of water used for hydrotherapy, massage, relaxation, and soaking. They normally have features such as jets for soaking and doing other purposes. They are known by different names such as Jacuzzis and spas in different places. When planning to buy one, here are things to look out for.

The priority consideration is the style. There exist 3 major styles of hot tubs. The foremost style is the wooden-staved tub mainly utilized for soaking. The 2nd style is a single plastic tub which is also commonly called a spa. The 3rd style has insulating materials on the sides and at the base. It is made from stainless steel.

Different styles of tubs have varying degrees of insulation. One needs to check out the materials used in manufacturing the products and the types of insulating materials fixed. The commonest types of insulators used are cedar wood and clad. The degree of heat preservation ought to be high mainly if the device is for installation in outdoor environments.

The next items to check out are the shells and the understructures. The shells are the external bodies. They should not have any flaws, bubbles, or cracks. One must make sure that the product has a high level of ultraviolet resistance and test for temperature fluctuation must be done also. This aids to prevent taking home an equipment that will begin leaking shortly afterwards especially in extreme weather climates.

The understructure has to be solid foam or fiberglass for perfect insulation. One may ask to view the cross section of the equipment so as not to leave anything to chance. The cabinetry ought to be aesthetically attractive and low maintenance. Removable ones make cleaning and maintenance easier. Heating coils have a power rating of around 1.5 to 11.5 Kw. The heating element needs to be covered to evade coming into direct contact with water.

Pump filters assist to stop debris from entering into the water. Most models utilize cartridge-type filters. The pump needs thorough checking before the item can be carried away. They must also be situated at a location they can be reached with ease in case of emergency servicing. The seat needs to be comfortable too. This may be checked by sitting in the spa to check depth and the room left between the feet and walls.

Jets form a very important part of any kind of spa. They are used for delivering water into the equipment. The number varies depending on the model. Jets should be checked for their position when one is sitting inside the device. Jet type varies and their operation may be programmed or may be manual. Covers are important because they help conserve heat and prevent debris from getting into the tub.

When in necessity for elegant hot tubs Delaware offers some attractive models one should go for. There are several corporations that focus in this field. They supply high quality commodities and maintenance or repair services to customers at affordable rates.

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